


Strength in the Dark

by The_Plaid_Slytherin



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: F/M, Season/Series 03
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-02
Updated: 2012-08-02
Packaged: 2017-11-11 06:00:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/475291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Plaid_Slytherin/pseuds/The_Plaid_Slytherin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in late S3. Laura goes to see Saul.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strength in the Dark

Saul was looking over maintenance schedules in his quarters when there was a knock at the hatch.

"It's open," he called. There was only one person who still knocked when he left the hatch ajar and it was the very person he left the hatch ajar for.

Laura stepped into the room. "Working hard?" Saul hated having her in his quarters; they always felt so inadequate for her. This was the godsdamned President. What was she doing meeting Galactica's XO for illicit fraks in his pigsty of a room? He supposed that was his own fault, though, for not cleaning up for her. Not that he meant to forget. It just happened. 

He grinned. Better make up for the mess with charm. "I was, 'til you showed up." He got up and slipped his arms around her.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything important." 

"Not at all." He kissed the side of her neck softly and slid his hands into her hair. "You never interrupt me."

"Mm, Saul, you really do know how to make a woman feel wanted." 

"I try."

He beamed at Laura and she smiled back at him. He still wasn't quite sure how this had happened, but he wasn't going to question it. Laura had been there for him through one of his worst times, and he couldn't be more grateful. 

They kissed for a while before Laura stopped them. The pause made Saul balk, as that old insecurity raised its ugly head. 

"What's wrong?" 

She looked away from him. "Saul, there's something I have to tell you. I don't want you to find out some other way." 

"What is it?" he asked. They sat down together on the couch. 

She hesitated and Saul's gut tightened, bracing for the worst, for her to tell him she didn't want to do this anymore. 

What she actually said was a thousand times worse.

"The cancer is back."

Saul felt like he was falling. He closed his eye, trying to stop the wave of emotions from washing over him. But no. This wasn't about him. This was about her.

"Are you sure?" he finally managed to ask. He didn't even try to keep his voice from shaking. 

"Cottle was absolutely sure." She sounded resigned to it and Saul didn't bother asking when she'd had the test done. 

"Oh, Laura." He pulled her close, resting his cheek against the top of her head.

"Now, don't react like that," she said into his chest. "We'll get through this together."

"I know." Saul found he couldn't let go of her, though. 

Her cancer was back.

He'd known she had before, had known she was dying, but, unfortunately, he hadn't exactly cared at the time. Not before New Caprica and its aftermath, when they'd found one another, and he hadn't even given it much thought. 

Now, it was like he could feel it, as her breasts pressed up against him.

"What's Cottle doing for it?"

"Right now, nothing."

"And nothing's the best he can do?"

She gave him a look. "I need to get through the trial. I'm taking chamalla again and—"

Saul gave a derisive snort. "Can't he do anything _real_ for you?"

"After the trial," she said firmly and Saul knew there was no use arguing with her, even if he went right to Cottle himself. 

There was a pause. "You're the only one I've told," she said, answering his unasked question. 

Saul nodded. "So, what can I do?"

She slipped her arms around his neck. "Just be here," she murmured against his lips.

"I can do that," he whispered into her hair. And he could, he knew, be strong for her—but he suspected she'd still be the strong one, no matter what happened.


End file.
